Robert A. Heinlein (edit name/settings)

Robert Anson Heinlein began his career in writing after being discharged as medically unfit for service from the United States Navy. Heinlein published his first short story, Life-Line, in 1939. Heinlein spent WW2 in Pennsylvania working in aerospace engineering.

After the war Heinlein began writing what are called his "youth novels" which were targeted towards a younger audience. In the fifties Heinlein, who had always been political and had once run for office, came out swinging against the nuclear disarmament community.. Heinlein wrote his first politically oriented work, "Starship Troopers", in which giant bugs were used as a metaphor for communists. The book won a Hugo award in 1960.

While a political conservative Heinlein had developed an unconventional social ideology which he popularized in "Stranger in a Strange Land". This book became so popular that it even started a religion where people "groked" each other. The book satirized religion and popularized unconventional ideas such as "plural-marriage" where families were composed of multiple men and women living together as a family without regard to typical gender roles.

It should be understood that this open attitude toward sexuality was fairly typical of conservative Republicans in the 1950's and 1960's. Barry Goldwater who lost to Lyndon Johnson in the 1964 U.S. Presidential Elections was one of the most important supporters of "gay rights" (more correctly "human rights") in the history of the United States. Heinlein was not alone in his unconventional attitudes toward sexuality.

Heinlein's characters are all strong minded, intelligent, uncommonly competent and capable people. They are not always formally educated, but, all have an appetite for knowledge. Heinlein frowned on socialism of any kind, which, considering the communal nature of the plural family is interesting. Heinlein's characters often use the saying "No Free Lunch" to hammer home the understanding that someone has to work for anyone to eat. Heinlein's characters are always willing to help someone who is willing to help themselves and work.

While mankind has not popularized the envy free plural marriage Heinlein popularized in his books or the "No Free Lunch" attitude it is safe to say that Robert Heinlein's writings have helped to change the sexual and political attitudes in the United States.